Can chickens and goats be kept in the same shed?

[DixyDoodle]

Just wondering about keeping them together. I have one shed that is free right now. I was going to put some goats in there, but what to do with the chickens? Now there's something I didn't really think about til now and it's becoming a dilemma.

I could separate the shed (about 13X13ft) in half with livestock wire, for each, but didn't know if this would be a health issue? The chickens are only in there at night, as they are free-range. When the chickens are in the coop, they tend to just sit on the nesting boxes or up in the rafters. Do goats and chickens even get along? Could they be kept loose together? I suppose not.

Anyone with poultry AND goats that have any suggestions? I don't want to give up my chickens as they are excellent for keeping pests down.

Thanks!

DD

[leecofarm]

my chickens live amongst the goats except at night they nest in the trees.

[LomahAcres]

We have a small band of chickens that live with our goats. They roost on the wall that separates the goat stalls. Goats don't mind them. The only complaint I have is that the hens like to lay in the goat’s hay feeder instead of their nest boxes.

[jen74145]

I keep my little goat in with my small flock; works well, though they are forever eating each other's feed. Lately I've given up and started giving the hens goat feed as well.
Works for us, though I would worry about goats stepping on eggs/newly hatched chicks if you have messy girls who lay on the floor or you let them hatch their own babies.

[goatkid]

There should be no problem with the birds and goats getting along with each other. The concerns I would have would be the chickens pooping in the goats' feed, the fact that chickens and goats are usually fed different types of grain, goats breaking the eggs and the goats gettting bird lice form the chickens.

[prairiedog]

Our chickens and goat share the pen and the shed

[dbarjacres]

lice are species specific

My concern is about the goats picking up any of the stuff chickens carry such as E. coli, Salmonella, etc.

I'd like to run mine together too if that'd be safe

As far as feed, just make sure the goats can't get to the chickens feed, make a small box only a chicken could fit in or something.

[Oat Bucket Farm]

We have a seperate little square pen that has an opening just big enough for a chicken to fit through that we put the chickens food in. That way they can go in the little pen to eat or roam around the big goat pen if they want.

[Oat Bucket Farm]

As far as goats and chickens getting along, our goat, Miss Daisy doesn't mind them at all and they like to stand on her when she lays down.

[glenberryfarm]

There are no problems with them getting along. However, there will be chicken poo everywhere ie) hay, feeders, water bucket, on the goats' backs etc.
I prefer to keep them seperate.

[DixyDoodle]

Great, that makes me feel better. One more question:

I will be penning the goats in and am wondering how to be able to let the chickens out in the yard without the goats also getting out. I wouldn't be able to just use the smaller door for the chickens, as I am thinking about getting Nigerian Dwarfs, so their kids would probably also get out that way.

Then I thought maybe I could set something up outside, so they all go out the same door, but the chickens can get over? I'm not so sure they could get over the temporary dog pen I will be using though---which is only 12X12 and 6ft high (thinking chickens can't fly pretty much straight up?). I wonder if there is a way of putting some perches up somehow so they can sort of "climb" to the top of the pen? Something that is not also easily climbed by goats?

This will not be an issue after spring thaw. I will be getting some livestock fencing and I bet the chickens will easily fly over that. But I must wait til the ground is soft enough to sink the poles for that.

I am having another issue as well: so far all the livestock (goat-type) fencing I can find is 4ft tall. What do you think is best for goats? Can you get 6ft or is that too high? Maybe I will have to order it.

DD